


Flowers

by notjustmom



Series: August Writing Prompts 2019 [15]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 16:10:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20449883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: Prompt: Flowers





	Flowers

"'m not dead, am I?" Tony grumbled as he opened one eye, then the other and spotted Natasha sitting in the chair next to his bed.

"Not as far as I can tell, you gave it your best shot, though, Stark." She tried to smile, but shook her head and watched as he gazed at the flowers that seemed to cover every inch of the room. "I can get rid of them if you want me to."

He shook his head and gently asked, "where's Pepper?"

"Resting, finally. I made her go to bed, she's just in the next room. She didn't want to leave your side. She's a rock star. Crazy about you."

He nodded, then slowly eased himself up to sitting with a groan and looked at the flowers in her hands. "Sunflowers."

"Didn't want to get you lilies, too funereal. Roses didn't seem right -" She swore to herself as she felt the tears begin to slip down her face. She bit her lip, then blew out a breath and looked up to meet his eyes. "Sorry, about, well, everything. I was afraid that I wouldn't have the chance to tell you that."

"Sorry for what exactly, Romanov?" He reached out and wiped the tears from her face, then grinned as he took the flowers from her, and laid them across his lap. He played with the yellow petals for a minute before he spoke again. "There's something perfect about flowers, doesn't matter what else is happening in the world, they just keep growing, they keep blooming, because they don't know any better, they just know it is what they are supposed to do." 

She studied his face and was stunned when a single tear fell from his eye and traveled down his sharp cheekbone as he went on, "Rogers, and me and you - all we know to do is to keep fighting. At some point in my life there was a moment when I had to choose, between fighting to survive, or just give in, surrender. There have been times when it would have been easier just to just let go, but it's not in my nature, unfortunately." He shivered as she laid a hand over his trembling fingers, then looked into her eyes. "It's not your fault, Nat. I made you choose, and Cap - he always needed you more. I always tried to do what I thought what was best at the time, and look where it got us." He blinked down at the flowers in his hand and nodded. "I had made peace out there, in space, when I knew I had finally run out of lives. I made my goodbyes, and I was okay with it - why flowers, why do people give flowers, Nat?"

"I don't know, Stark. I think because they just are. No real purpose, except to grow, and bloom where they are planted. Brighten up the world?" She stopped talking as he offered her the first genuine smile since the day they'd met so long ago. "What?"

"Yer a poet, Nat. Getting sentimental in your old age, hmm?" He yawned and swore as he held his ribs, and she took the flowers from his hands and put them in the vase on the table next to his bed.

"Something like that. You should be sleeping. I'm gonna let you rest now." She started to get to her feet, but he grabbed her hand and held on as tightly as he could.

He asked a bit shyly, "if you aren't busy, do you mind staying until I fall asleep?" 

She shook her head and whispered, "I don't mind, Tony." She dropped back into her chair and watched as his eyes fluttered closed.

"Thanks, Nat." 

"What for?"

"For never giving up on me," he mumbled. "For not giving up."


End file.
